What is the Church Age? This is the time we’re living in now, between Pentecost and the rapture. The time between Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit first came to indwell believers in Jesus, and the rapture, when Jesus returns to resurrect ‘sleeping’ believers and take them and living believers to heaven.
The Church is Those Who Believe in the Name of Jesus
The English word ‘Church’ translates the Greek word ‘Ecclesia,’ which meant ‘a called-out assembly’. In this case, it’s an assembly of those who’ve believed in Jesus’ Name since His resurrection. The Church, in this sense, didn’t exist before Pentecost and won’t be on earth after the Church is raptured to heaven.
The Church’s birthday was on Pentecost, fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection. The Holy Spirit came to earth on Pentecost to indwell and baptize believers into one corporate body, the Church:
“When the day of Pentecost had come, they (believers in Jesus) were all together in one place…. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit …” (Acts 2:1,4).
The Church is Those Who Believe in the Name of Jesus
The Jews who witness the coming of the Spirit gathered to listen as Peter explained the meaning of the coming of the Holy Spirit to his Jewish audience, and this was their response on the birthday of the Church:
“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized, and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (Acts 2:41).
During the Church Age, the Holy Spirit baptizes (spiritually) all who believe in Jesus’ Name into one body, the Church:
“For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This corporate body is also known as the body of Christ.
Before Pentecost, salvation was ‘of the Jews.’ Jesus told the Samaritan woman,
“You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” (John 4:22).
But that changed when Israel rejected Jesus’ offer to immediately establish His Kingdom on earth:
“But first He (the Son of Man, Jesus) must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation” (Luke 17:25).
Jesus Builds His Church
Because the Jews rejected Jesus’ offer, Jesus revealed His plan to build His Church, telling His disciple Peter:
“On this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18).
Pentecost arrived a few months after Jesus made this prediction.
The Church Age Ends at the Rapture
The Church Age ends at the rapture when Jesus returns for His Church. He returns ‘in the air’ and first resurrects the believers of the Church Age who’ve fallen asleep (died):
“God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus…. And the dead in Christ will rise first”(1 Thessalonians 4:14,16).
“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
The Rapture of the Church is Imminent
That means that there is no prophetic event that must happen before Jesus returns. And Jesus could return at any moment. He has promised to return and rapture the Church before the time of God’s wrath is poured out in the tribulation. Therefore, Jesus gives the Church the following instruction:
“Wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).
And the following promise:
“I also will keep you from the hour of temptation which shall come upon the entire world, to test those who dwell on the earth” (Revelation 3:10).
“He (Jesus) who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus!” (Revelation 22:20).
We invite you to believe in the name of Jesus. Accept his free gift of salvation and forgiveness. Please watch the video on this page to find out more about how much God loves you and his gift of eternal life. You can start your new life in Christ today!